MEDIA INFORMATION
UPDATE ON LANDSLIDE DISASTER IN BUDUDA DISTRCT AND FLOODS IN BUTALEJA, DISTRICTS
BY
HON MUSA ECWERU MINISTER OF STATE FOR RELIEF, DISASTER PREPAREDNESS ANDREFUGEES
8TH MARCH 2010
LANDSLIDE DISASTER IN BUDUDA DISTRCT AND FLOODS IN BUTALEJA, BUNDIBUGYO, AMURIA AND MBALE DISTRICTS
As you are all aware, tragedy struck the country on Monday 1 sl March 2010, when landslides and floods washed away people and property in Bududa District. It happened following three days of continuous rainfall in the villages of Nametsi, Kubehwo and Namangasa, all of Nametsi Parish in Bukalasi Sub County, Manjiya County, Bududa District.
The landslides erupted at about 6.30 pm from about 800 metres above Nametsi Trading Centre. A mudslide covering an area of 80 metres wide from the initial point up the slope and 250 metres wide down the slope. It buried the three villages including Nametsi Trading Centre and Nametsi Health Centre 3.
Todate a total of 83 bodies have been recovered by the rescue teams comprising of UPDF troops from 3rd Division Mbale, resident survivors and redcross volunteers. Over 300 people are still missing and feared dead. Only 31 survivors have been accounted for from the three villages. The landslide disaster also struck the neighbouring subcounty of Bumayoka at Ulukusi Parish destroying a Church. Six bodies have been recovered from this disaster site.
Table showing demographic and housing data of the affected
Name of Population Number Land area People Injured Bodies Damage to
Village of lost recove houses
househ - red
olds
1. 365 90 0.6 sq km 295 est. 60 77 70 total
Nametsi 20 partial
2 150 35 0.8 sq km 50 est. 3 total
Kubewo 30 partial
3. Liira 176 40 0.7 sq km none none none 30 partial
4. 180 45 1.2 sq km 5 6 6 20 partial
Matuwa
Total 871 210 3.3sq km 350 83 63 total
100 partial
As we morn the demise of over 300 dear ones, we are at the same time experiencing massive displacement by landslides and floods in all the six districts of Mt. Elgon. Over 300,000 people on the Mt. Elgon region and neighbouring low lands of Butaleja, Budaka and Tororo districts have left their homesteads due to fear of landslides and floods. Many gardens have been washed away.
We have also experienced landslides and floods in the other two mountainous regions of Uganda namely; the Rwenzori and Kigezi regions. These two subregions host another seven districts. The total population at risk of landslides and floods is over 500,000.
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We plan to resettle some of the population at very high risk to safer locations once emergency operations of the current situation ends.
Search for bodies will continue until such a time when we feel all bodies have been recovered. Government plans to grade a temporary road to the site so that heavy earth-moving equipment can be taken to the site. An appeal to our Developed Partners and the United Nations to avail a heavy duty helicopter that can air-lift a medium sized motorized buckle scooper to the site has been issued.
RESPONSE BY GOVERNMENT AND THE HUMANITARIAN PARTNERS
A Team led by Hon. Dr. Major Gen. Julius Oketa from the Office of the Prime Minister Disaster Department, UPDF, Uganda Police, Uganda Redcross Society and Doctors are at the site coordinating recovery of bodies and provision of relief food and non food items.
In summary, the following have been delivered; (i) 920 bags of 100kgs of maize flour and beans, (ii) 8,710 blankets, (iii) 1,200 campin tarpaulins/tents, (iii) 11,100 water purification tablets and 2 water tankers, (iv) 1,900 Jerricans, (v) 367 buckets, (vi) 500 Cartons of drinking water, (vii) 220 Cartons of washing soap, (viii) 250 source pans, (ix) 900 plates, (x) 900 cups, (xi) two Generators,(xii) Internet Connection, (xiii) five vehicles and shs 35 million for coffins from OPM. See details overleaf.
Delivery of food and non-food items to Butaleja is on-going and assessment of loss and damage in the Rwenzori and Kigezi subregions are being undertaken.
A three month emergency workplan (March- May 2010) has been worked out to facilitate hosting of the people at risk in safer locations, resumption of learning for school children, rehabilitation of water sources, reconstruction of bridges and roads and provision of health services. It will cost shs 10 billion. A five year programme (medium-to-Iong-term 2010-2015 ) for permanent resettlement of all people at risk is being developed and will involve acquisition of land in safe locations and construction of new homesteads and means of livelihood. It will cost about US dollars 100 million.
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Musa Ecweru
MINISTER OF STATE FOR RELIEF, DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND REFUGEES
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Update of Humanitarian Deliveries from Government, Agencies and Other
() • • th
organizations as of 5 103/2010
Quantity units Items Source And time Date
of receipt
200 bags of maize flour@100kg OPM 3ro/March/2010
60 bags of beans @1OOkq OPM
300 Bags of maize flour @1OOkq OPM 4tn' March/201 0
100 baqs of beans@100kg OPM
200 baqs of maize flour@100kg OPM 6tn /March/201 0
60 bags of beans @100kg OPM
2,400 Pcs Blankets OPM stn / March 2010
02 Trucks Water Tankers Min. of Water & Env. 4th /March 2010
40 Pcs Camping Tents OPM 8th /Mrach 2010
300 Pcs NFl with Tarpaulins UNICEF 4tn' March/2010
100 Pcs Tarpaulins 4xSm UNICEF 4tn' March/201 0
30 Pcs Ropes UNICEF 4tn' March/201 0
S,200 Pkt Water Purif. Tabs UNICEF 4tn' March/201 0
100 Pkt Water disinfectn UNICEF 4th! March/201 0
Powder (Pur)
SOO Pcs S-Litre Jericans UNICEF 4tn' March/2010
910 Pcs Pcs Blankets UNICEF 4tn' March/201 0
367 Pcs Buckets UNICEF 4tn' March/2010
200 Pcs Shovels UNICEF 4th! March/201 0
30 Pcs Wooden Pallets UNICEF 4tn! March/2010
2 Kits Cholera Kits WHO 3ro/March/2010
2S pcs Body baqs WHO 3ra/March/2010
20 Cartons Biscuits House of Dawda 4tn' March/201 0
100 Cartons Biscuits Nile breweries and 4tn' March/201 0
Rwenzori Bottling
Co.
SOO Cartons Drinking Water Nile breweries and 4tn' March/2010
Rwenzori Bottling
Co.
4,000 Pcs Blankets Nile breweries and 4tn' March/201 0
Rwenzori Bottlinq Co
SO Pcs Tarpaulins Nile breweries and 4tn' March/201 0
Rwenzori Bottling Co
SOO Pcs Blankets Save the children In Stn/March 2010
Uganda
SOO Pcs Jerrycans Save the Children in Stn/March 2010
Uganda
100 ctns Washing Soap Save the Children in Stn/March 2010
Uganda
SOO pcs Tarpalins Save the Children in Sth/March 2010
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Quantity units Items Source And time Date
of receipt
Uqanda
900 pkt Blankets Red Cross 3ra/March/2010
250 pkt Tarpaulins Red Cross 3ro/March/2010
250 pkt saucepans Red Cross 3ra/March/2010
900 pkt plates Red Cross 3ro/March/2010
900 pkt cups Red Cross 3rd/March/2010
2700 bars soap Red Cross 3rd/March/2010
900 pcs jericans Red Cross 3ra/March/2010
5900 pkt Water purifiers Red Cross 3rd/March/2010
35m Shs: cheque OPM 3rd/March/2010
2 UNITS Generators UNDP 4tn/March/2010
1 unit Internet connection UNDP 5tn/March/2010
Source: District Planning and coordination unit
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